"DUR KIRBY SMITH/' 



/^ ^ Jfidljui/^ 



"OUR KIRBY SMITH." 



A PAPER 

READ BEFORE THE OHIO COMMANDERY 



i)K THE 



MILITARY ORDER 



OF THE 



Loyal Legion of the United States 



MARCH 2, 188T, 



BV 



Companion lOHX W. FULLER. 

Laic Brioadicr and Brcvcl Major-General, (J. ^S. V. 



CINCINNATI: 

H. C. SHERICK & CO. 
1887. 



61503 
^05 






OUR KIRBY SMITH. 



There have been three Kirby Smiths — all of them 
soldiers. The elder, Ephraim Kirby Smith, dropped 
all but the initial of his tirst name, and was alv,^ays 
known as E. Kirby Smith. During the War of the 
Rebellion it was common to hear the older officers of 
our army speak of him as a soldier of marked ability, 
and as one who had been universally respected and 
honored. 

Major E. Kirby Smith fell in battle at the head of 
his battalion at Molina-del-Rey ; a battle in which we 
lost fifty-nine officers (one-third of all engaged), and 
nearly eight hundred men. A battle so much more 
fatal, proportionately, to us, than any other with the 
same foe, that it seems evident "' somebody blun- 
dered." Indeed, General Grant, in his memoirs, thinks 
this battle ought never to have been fought at all, a^ 
the enemy's very strong position could have been 
easily turned. 

Major E. Kirb}^ Smith was the father of our Kirby 
Smith, whose memory, still cherished in some hearts, 
I desire to revive and freshen to-night — the memory 
of y. L. Kirby Smith, the first Colonel of the Forty- 
third Ohio. 

It is not an easy task, I know, to interest a listener 
in the story of one who fell so 3'oung, no matter how 



— 4 — 

highly esteemed, nor how beloved b}' his immediate 
comrades; for, though he gave promise of a brilliant 
career, he died too soon to verify the promise. His 
service in the field covered merely eight brief months, 
and he was but twenty-six years old when he fell in 
battle. So 3^oung, that only a few could realize that 
a born soldier had been lost; so soon, that onl}- his 
kindred and a few who loved him would keep his 
memory green. 

Perhaps, when asking you to listen to the brief 
story of this young soldier, it may be well, at the out- 
set, to show that 1 am not alone in thinking his 
memory worthy of preservation; and to this end will 
quote a few lines from a letter written by a General 
who once commanded the Twelfth, and afterwards 
the Twentieth Corps. General A. S. Williams, who 
knew Colonel Smith, perhaps, even better than I did, 
speaks thus of him: "He was my beau-ideal of a 
young man. Cheerful, religious, faithful, and sincere; 
frank, brave, atiectionate, and dutiful, he combined all 
the severer virtues of mature age without illiber- 
ality, prejudice, bigotry, envy, or malevolence. There 
was 'a daily beauty in his life' that won the hearts of 
all who knew him." And again the same General 
says: "His heart was so given to the cause of his 
country, and he was so free from selfish considera- 
tions; he was so capable, so brave, so self-reliant 
without vanity, so patient and so perse\ering in the 
line of duty, that T have looked confidently —though 
not without apprehensions for his personal safet}' — 
for splendid services and rapid and well-earned 
advancement." 



The father of our Colonel was born in New Eng- 
land, and always gloried in that love of freedom and 
that sturdy independence which he associated with his 
childhood's home; and yet he was appointed to the 
Military Academy from Florida, for his father, 
Joseph Lee Smith, had been sent there by President 
Monroe to serve as United States Judge, immediately 
on the change of flags, when our government pur- 
chased that territory from Spain. 

There was another and younger son of Judge 
Smith in the army, afterwards known as the Rebel 
General E. Kirby Smith, who had been registered at 
West Point as Edmund K. Smith, and who was 
always known, up to the close of the Mexican War, 
by his first name. The elder brother had made the 
name of E. Kirby Smith both honored and beloved, 
and when, soon after his death, his brother Edmund 
assumed that name, and began to write himself 
E. Kirby Smith, it gave sore otiense to the widow 
and friends of the original Kirby, which was intensi- 
fied by his joining the Rebels. It seemed to them 
that Edmund had stolen his brother's honored name 
and linked it with treason, and it is not strange that 
the son — our Kirby Smith — grew up to feel that his 
uncle was guilty of a grievous wrong. When, dur- 
ing the rebellion, the name of this uncle was mentioned 
in some Confederate dispatch, our Kirby would refer 
to him bitterly, saying, " Years ago he stole my 
father's good name, and now he has betrayed his 
country's flag. If I could meet him in battle, with 
force enough to thoroughly beat him, it would do my 
soul good; and I would like to capture him, that I 



— 6 — 

misrht tell him how his kindred and his former com- 
rades despise him." 

But, to tJjke events in their proper order, I must go 
back to say that our Kirby was born in Syracuse, 
N. Y., on the 25th day of July, 1836, where his father 
was then stationed on recruiting service. For some 
years the boy grew up amid the scenes of the camp, 
and when later he was sent to school, a little inci- 
dent occurred which gives us a glimpse of character 
not often seen in boys of his years. His reverend 
teacher believed in the use of the rod. Some mis- 
chief had been done, and, as Kirby refused to tell 
who the guilty party was, the teacher believed it was 
Kirby, and punished him accordingl}'. An aunt who 
learned the facts, was very indignant at this injustice, 
notwithstanding the teacher had subsequently apolo- 
gized, and went with the story to the boy's mother. 
When Kirby's mother talked it over with her son, and 
dwelt upon the fact of his innocence, the boy replied: 
" Mother, do you remember what Socrates said when 
his friends lamented that he, an innocent man, should 
be put to death .-' ' Would you then have me 
guilty.?'" 

Our Kirby entered the Academy at West Point in 
1853. He had less than the usual trouble in conform- 
ing to the discipline of the school, as he had long 
been taught both the propriety and the necessity of 
obedience. That other attribute, without which we 
should have no true soldier, viz., loyalty, was born 
in him. 

At the Military Academy he had the usual experi- 
ence which comes with the first or second year when 



_7 — 

cadets must settle some real or fancied insult in a 
private set-to with the fist; arms, of course, being 
prohibited. The Kansas troubles were at that time 
exciting everybody, and Kirby made some remarks 
about the aggressiveness of the slave power, which 
gave offense to a stalwart Georgian He must with- 
draw the remarks or take the consequences. Kirby 
said he had a right to his opinions, and also the right 
to express them. So a fight, on the classic ground 
near the Kosciusko Monument, had to come. Kirby 
seemed to look upon it as a joke, and went in a merry 
mood to the rendezvous, alone. But when he saw the 
tall Southerner with half a dozen of his friends await- 
ing him, Kirby grew indignant, and began to wonder 
whether he could jump high enough to hit the Georgian 
between the eyes. He accomplished this so thor- 
oughly that his antagonist soon lay sprawling on the 
ground, bleeding profusely from the nose. When 
the Southerner's companions could not bring him to 
the scratch again, they proposed that our Kirby 
should fight each one of them in turn. At this 
moment Cadet Orlando Poe (well known to us as 
General Poe), who had been looking on from behind 
some bushes, stepped forward and announced that if 
there was to be any more fighting he would take a hand 
himself. As Poe was older, and a full head taller 
than our Kirby, he presented a formidable appear- 
ance, and the Georgian's seconds soon decided that 
honor did not require them to fight, and they with- 
drew. But long before graduation day our Kirby and 
his antagonist were devoted friends. 

Smith was graduated from the Academy in 1857 — 



— 8 — 

sixth in his class - and when the war broke out he 
was a Lieutenant in the Corps of Topographical 
Engineers, and stationed at Detroit under Captain 
George G. Meade, who afterward became Com- 
mander of the Army of the Potomac. They were 
awaiting the opening of navigation to resume duty in 
triangulating Lake Superior. 

Both Meade and Smith were afraid the great Re- 
bellion would be put down, while they were measur- 
ing the shores and sounding the depths of that inland 
sea. But it was not long before they learned that 
every soldier would find enough to do. 

Our Kirby's first war service was on the staff of 
General Patterson; then on that of Banks. But he 
was restive while doing merely topographical dut)% 
and longed for a regiment he might lead to the field. 
After some disappointments he was offered a cavalry 
regiment, which he declined, as he once told me, 
merely " because he could not shoe a horse." Then 
the Forty-third Ohio was offered him by Governor 
Dennison, which he promptly and gladly accepted. 
On reaching Camp Chase, near Columbus, he found a 
mere squad of men, all like Artemus Ward's com- 
pany, willing to be brigadiers. He removed head- 
quarters to Mount Vernon. Speedily the ranks were 
filled, and so thoroughly were the men drilled, that 
the Forty-third was soon known as one of the finest 
regiments Ohio sent into the field — and this is saying 
a good deal. 

It was about the last of February, 1862, when I 
first met Colonel Smith. He, with his regiment, 
joined the Army of the Mississippi at Commerce 



Missouri, where General Pope was organizing his 
forces preparatory to the movement upon New 
Madrid. Smith's regiment and mine both belonged 
to the First Division of that army, commanded then 
by General Schuyler Hamilton. I did not see Smith 
during the first day's operations at New Madrid, 
when the enemy's gunboats made so much noise, as 
his regiment was held in reserve; but General Pope 
soon after gave him an order to make a reconnoissance 
with his regiment, to learn more of the enem3''s 
strength and position. He discharged this duty very 
satisfactorily to General Pope, and he did it in such a 
fearless manner as to attract the enemy's attention; 
for when we captured the Rebels, some weeks there- 
after, some of them inquired particularly after the 
officer who that day rode the white horse, and 
were loud in their commendations of his gallantry. 

When we were on transports down the Mississippi, 
and near Fort Pillow, General Pope gave Smith 
another opportunity to make an important reconnois- 
sance. He was to explore the banks opposite Fort 
Pillow, looking for some bayou or passage through 
which steamboats might pass the fort and thus reach 
Memphis. Before this was accomplished, however, 
General Pope's army was ordered to immediately 
join the forces of Grant and Buell, then approaching 
Corinth. 

About the time we reached Pittsburg Landing, the 
four Ohio Regiments which originally formed the 
First Division of the Army of the Mississippi, became 
the First Brigade of that Division. General Daniel 
Tyler was assigned to command the Brigade, and 



lO 



General D. S. Stanley commanded the Division. This 
change brought me into more frequent contact with 
Colonel Smith, and I had learned to like him well 
before he came under my command in the following 

July- 

There was a good deal of humor in Smith. During 
one of our marches the sutler of his regiment (whom 
Smith told me he had scarcely ever seen) came to 
the front with his wagons, and with — a sense of his 
responsibility. One day, near the end of a w^eary 
march, while the Colonel was riding in rear of his 
regiment encouraging the foot-sore to keep their 
places, the sutler galloped up from the rear to find a 
good place in the new camp. "^ Give way there!" he 
sang out, " I want to get to the head of the column; 
please give way," "Who are you, sir.?" inquired 
Smith, as the sutler grew importunate. " Why, I am 
the sutler of the Forty-third Ohio " was the confident 
reply. " Oh, you are the sutler, are you? then I'll 
give way immediately," said Smith, reining out to 
one side with considerable ado, "for I am nothing but 
the durned Colonel!" 

During the summer, our Kirby's health was seri- 
ousl}' affected by a disease which threatened to become 
chronic. After repeated warnings from his surgeon? 
and at the earnest instance of some comrades who 
were alarmed about 'him, he applied for a leave. 
Rosecrans said he would find some duty for Colonel 
Smith, temporarily, at the North, and would order 
him there. But he forgot it, and so the next month? 
when I also was ill, we each requested a leave of 
absence. When these requests reached Rosecrans, 



— II — 

he said: "What! grant a leave to two Colonels at 
once, and of the same Brigade! 1 can't think of it!" 
"All right," said General Stanley, who happened ( ?j 
to be at Rosecrans' headquarters at the time — " all 
right. General; but if you don't give them a leave, 
God Almighty will, prett}' soon.'' " Is it so bad as 
that?" responded Rosecrans, "well, then, Mr. Adju- 
tant, send these leaves at once." I remember that 
little kindness of General Stanley with deep gratitude 
to this day; and I know that Colonel Smith appre- 
ciated it keenly. Stanley sometimes seemed almost 
savage in battle, and would fight the devil himself if 
he got in the way; and yet he was as gentle and con- 
siderate as a woman when his sympathies were 
touched. 

It was a happy journey we made together. The 
bracing air of the North was to bring back health 
and strength. The society of those dearer than all 
was again to be ours. At Columbus, Ohio, we sepa- 
rated; Colonel Smith to see his mother and sister in 
Philadelphia, and I to meet my young family at 
Toledo. 

When the time came for our return, we arranged 
by telegraph to meet at Chicago that we might go 
back together. Smith was a charming talker, and I 
enjoyed very heartily his story of what he had seen 
and heard. It would be difficult to repeat what was 
said, for his voice and gesture were so much a part of 
all, that his listener could recall the impression left 
more easily than the story itself. But quaint sketches 
of people, told in the kindliest manner; the joyous 
meeting with his mother and sister; the tender refer- 



to 



— 12 — 

ences to one who was to be closer than all, were all 
pfiven with a charm I could nev^er describe. Ah! 
little did he think that they of whom he talked so 
long, so gaily, and withal so tenderly — little did he 
think they would never hear his voice again. 

It was early in September when we returned to the 
army, and found the Ohio Brigade had marched east- 
ward, near to luka. Smith's regiment was a short 
distance still further east, guarding the crossing of 
Bear Creek. We were just in time to take part in 
the manceuvers which preceded the battle of luka, 
and which culminated in the battle of Corinth, 
Almost immediately we marched back to Corinth, as 
it was thought Van Dorn was heading for that place. 
We were only comfortably encamped when General 
Price, with a large Rebel force, occupied luka, driv- 
insr out the grarrison we had left there. 

General Grant immediately resolved to try to 
capture or destroy Price. Rosecrans was to approach 
luka from the south, while another column under Ord 
was to attack from the west. One of Rosecrans' Di- 
visions had to make a round-about march, and on the 
night preceding the battle was several miles behind 
the place of rendezvous. This led Grant to fear that 
Rosecrans could not reach luka in time to carry out 
the original programme. So he instructed Ord, who 
was not strong enough alone to fight Price, to await 
the sound of Rosecrans' guns before attacking. The 
wind blew from Ord toward Rosecrans, and the 
former heard nothing of the fierce battle which 
Rosecrans had all to himself, not more than four or 
five miles away to the south of the town. The Ohio 



— 13 — 

Brigade, to which Smith belonged, formed the rear 
guard that day, and was onl}- ordered to the front 
just as the darkness suddenly grew so dense that 
Rosecrans ordered us, after getting into position, to 
await for aiminor Ho-ht. 

The next morning when we moved forward Price 
was gone; and when we had advanced into the town 
and had come to a halt, with arms stacked, Ord's 
forces were seen approaching from the west with 
drums beating and banners flying. Rosecrans asked 
Ord, as soon as that General rode forward, why he did 
not come to time in accordance with the mutual under- 
standing - wh}' he, Rosecrans, had been left in the 
lurch, Ord answered by showing Grant's order to 
postpone the attack. This miscarriage was the 
beginning of a misunderstanding which grew into 
positive dislike between Grant and Rosecrans — a 
breach which was never healed. 

The Division to which Smith's Regiment belonged 
(Stanley's) followed Price for ten or a dozen miles to 
the southward, then marched to the westward, keep- 
ing between the army of Price and Corinth. After 
resting at Rienzi for a day or two, we moved by the 
round-about way of Kossuth to Corinth. 

Rosecrans by this time knew that Price had 
rejoined Van Dorn, and that their united forces were 
moving in a northerly direction; but whether they 
were aiming for Boliv.er and Jackson, or would first 
strike Corinth, he was waiting to see. 

On the 2d of October Colonel Smith was ordered 
with his regiment and a section of artillery to Kos- 
suth; but during the night, Rosecrans, now satisfied 



— 14 — 

that Corinth was Van Dorn's objective, ordered every- 
thing: to concentrate there. So Smith had hardlv 
bivouacked when he received orders to countermarch. 
Though very weary with so much marching, Smith 
was too good a soldier to delay, and the next morn- 
ing at lo o'clock he rejoined his Brigade. 

The firing was already rapid and heavy to the west 
of the town, but Corinth itself was not threatened 
until late in the afternoon. Then the Division of 
General Davis, greatly outnumbered, fell back to the 
line of woods not far from and in full sight of the 
town itself. 

The Ohio Brigade was ordered to the crest 
crowned by Battery Robinet, to resist any further ad- 
vance of the enemy. Van Dorn, however, postponed 
his grand assault until morning, and during the even- 
ing each army was formed in position for the 
morrow's strife. The lines of the Ohio Brigade 
were not over two hundred 3'ards from the spot where 
the Rebels planted Tobin's Battery, and all night we 
could plainly hear the preparations the enemy was 
making. Moreover, the skirmishers were so close 
that any slight movement on either side was 
instantly followed by the sharp crack of the rifle. 
Colonel Smith's regiment was formed on the left of 
Battery Robinet, facing to the west; the other regi- 
ments of the Brigade were to the right of the Battery 
facing to the north. 

During the night the Brigade Commander called 
Colonel Smith to accompany him while making the 
rounds, to suggest anything which might have been 
overlooked, to guard against any surprise. The chat 



— 15 — 

we had together that night was the last I enjoyed 
with him. He was cheery as ever, and joked in low 
tones with as much unconcern as though the Rebels 
were miles away. " Colonel," said he, " where did 
you get forage for your horses to-night? I don't 
know whether mine smells the battle afar off, but he 
keeps singing out 'Ha(y)! Ha(y)!' and I think he 
made a remark about oats." 

Before the first glimpse of day on that memorable 
morning, October 4, 1862, the enemy opened with 
several batteries which he had planted during the 
night. Smith lost a few men, but his position was 
not at first much exposed, as the enemy's guns were 
mostly aimed at the town. As soon as it was light 
enough to see, our own batteries drove the Rebels 
back. About 1 1 o'clock the enemy's columns were 
seen moving to attack the troops stationed on our 
right. As the Ohio Brigade occupied the crest of a 
ridge near the center of Rosecrans' line of battle, we 
had a magnificent view of the enemy as he came out 
of the woods in fine style, and marched over and 
through the obstructions with such noticeable gal- 
lantry. Our guns were all turned in that direction, 
and, though many gaps were made in their ranks, 
they closed up without a moment's delay and moved 
forward in splendid style. We saw the Rebels drive 
back a portion of our line — saw them climbing over 
the light intrenchments; saw them moving onward 
to the town. Soon after we saw them going back 
again, followed by our boys in blue. A struggle 
occurred at some points on the line, but the Rebels 
were giving way, and most of them were running 



— i6 — 

backwards to the woods, when our attention became 
wholly occupied with the movement in our own 
front. 

Another Division of the enemy was coming 
through the woods, directly toward us. Their ban- 
ners waived gaily, and on reaching the edge of the 
woods they halted a few seconds, as if to perfect their 
formation, and then bore down upon us. The col- 
umn in the road, meeting little or no obstruction, was 
soon far in advance of the others. Captain Lathrop, 
of my staff, was sent to order Colonel Smith to 
" chancre front forward." This manceuver Smith 
proceeded to execute, just as if his regiment was on 
parade, aligning his right company on the markers 
before giving the order for the other companies to 
advance. This movement was not fully completed 
when Smith was shot down. A column which ad- 
vanced along the west side of the road got close to 
the battery, and the men, sheltering themselves be- 
hind stumps and logs, were firing sharply. " Those 
fellows are firing at you, Colonel," said one of the 
Forty-third's men. "Well, give it to them, "answered 
the Colonel, and immediately thereafter fell from his 
horse. When the column in the road had been 
driven back by the point-blank fire of the Sixty-third 
and Twenty-seventh Regiments, fearing another, and 
perhaps stronger etfort, would be made to drive 
us from the crest, 1 ran back to near the railroad to 
bring forward the Eleventh Missouri to a position di- 
rectly behind the Sixty-third Ohio. This Regiment 
did not belong to my Brigade, but it was the nearest 
at hand, and very promptly moved up to the position 



-17 — 

assigned. The Commander of the Brigade to which 
the Eleventh Missouri belonged had mistaken the 
Rebel skirmishers for ours, and had been taken pris- 
oner by them some hours before; and General Stanley, 
our Division Commander, had gone over to the right, 
when it seemed all the fighting was to be done there, 
and had not yet returned. While 1 was bringing up 
the Eleventh Missouri, glancing over my left shoulder, 
I saw some men picking up a wounded officer whose 
face was stained with blood. 1 did not then know it 
was Colonel Smith, but directly after I saw his Adju- 
tant, Heyl, ride up to that group, and with a futile 
effort to steady himself, by grasping his horse's mane, 
fall also to the ground. 

B}' this time the enemy's battalions were coming 
along the Chewalla Road again, and my attention was 
wholly absorbed by their gallant charge. Their 
leader, Colonel Rogers, of Texas, was unhorsed soon 
after leaving the cover of the woods, but he advanced 
fearlesslv on foot at the head of his column. When 
his color-bearer was shot down, Rogers picked up 
the flag and deliberately carried it forward until he 
fell, a few feet before reaching the ditch of the little 
fort. The Rebel column pushed forward until it be- 
gan to trample on the dead of the Sixty-third Ohio, 
still lying where they fell, when it was charged by the 
Eleventh Missouri, the Twenty-seventh Ohio, and a 
remnant of the Sixty-third. This charge smashed the 
head of that column, and drove its rear backwards to 
the woods. 

To go back a few minutes, when Colonel Smith, 
his Adjutant, and others of the Forty-third were shot 



— i8 — 

down, that regiment seemed dazed, and liable to 
confusion; but Lieutenant-Colonel Wager Swayne 
immediately began to stead}' the ranks, and General 
Stanley galloped up just in time to help. Stanley was 
a host in battle, and always seemed to be where the 
strife was fiercest. Just as our boys were moving for 
the charge, which broke the Rebel column in the 
road, I was astonished to see Stanley rushing in be- 
tween the file closers and the line of battle of the 
Eleventh Missouri, his arms outstretched, to touch as 
many men as he could reach, pushing them forward 
to strike the head of the Rebel column. I wondered 
how he got there; for, only a minute or two before 
he was with the Forty-third, making it hot for the 
Rebels to the left of the Battery. 

Very soon after the charge — when the exultant 
shout of victory was so quickly followed by that re- 
vulsion which came with the whispered names of the 
dead — occurred the scene thus touchingly referred to 
by General Stanley in his official report of the battle: 
" I have not words to describe the qualities of this 
model soldier, or to express the loss we have sus- 
tained in his death. The best testimony I can give to 
his memory, is the spectacle I witnessed myself, in the 
very moment of battle, of stern, brave men weeping like 
children, as the word passed, ' Kirby Smith is killed !' " 

It was nearly an hour after he was shot when Smith 
became conscious, and word came to us from the 
hospital that his wound was not mortal, I jumped 
upon a fallen tree in rear of the Forty-third and sang 
out to them that Colonel Smith was not killed, but 
would recover. This was repeated by Swayne and 



— 19 — 

others, and the cheer which followed, taken up by 
the men of other regiments also, would have glad- 
ened our Kirby's heart. From the moment that con- 
sciousness returned. Colonel Smith never forgot he 
was a soldier, never failed to receive us with the 
customary salute, never allowed any complaint or 
signal of pain to escape him. 

It seemed a singular coincidence to us, and I think 
also to Smith, that his wound was identical with that 
which struck down his honored father, years before, 
at the gates of Mexico. A shot entered just under 
the right nostril, passing somewhat upward, until de- 
flected by a bone, when it passed out at the left ear. 

That evening I went with General Stanley to the 
hospital. It will be readily understood that the 
nature of Kirby's wound prevented speech; but as 
soon as he saw us he indicated a desire to write. I 
took out a memorandum book and pencil, when he 
immediately wrote: "How did my regiment be- 
have.^" General Stanley commenced to write are- 
ply, when a quizzical look of the Colonel's reminded 
us he could hear well enough, and Stanley answered 
" Most gallantly." This seemed to please Smith 
greatly, and he at once acknowledged it with one of 
his graceful salutes. 

When Stanley had passed on, to speak to others, I 
sat down at Kirby's side and expressed a desire to do 
anything for him that I could. Would he like to 
have me write to his mother .f* A nod said "yes." 
Was there any one else he wished me to write .^ He 
made no sign in response, but seemed hesitating 
about something he felt loth to drop, and kept looking 



20 



at me with a steady gaze. " Shall I write to Miss 

?" naming the lady to whom he was betrothed. 

A pleasant smile and nod together was his answer, 
and I said I would do the best I could. The next 
morning before we started in pursuit of the enemy I 
rode back to see him again. I tound him so cheer- 
ful, and apparently so much bettor, that I said : " My 
dear fellow, you will be able to write your own let- 
ters before we get back." I thought he felt so, too. 

During the eight days we were absent, frequent 
letters advised us that Colonel Smith was better, and 
when we reached camp near Corinth we received 
word that he was still improving — was walking about 
the room a little, making people laugh at the quaint 
things he wrote, and the comical gestures he made; 
in short, seemed like himself again. So I did not go 
into town that evening (we were five miles away), 
but waited until morning, when the Brigade would 
march in. 

About noon 1 rode to the house where the Colonel 
was lying, and saw, almost at a glance, that all hope 
of his recover^' must be fast fading out. 1 was 
greatly surprised, after so many accounts of improve- 
ment, to find him so feeble, so cold, so drowsy. I 
could hardly suppress my disappointment. Poor 
Kirby, however, did not observe much. He put out 
his hand before 1 could reach his cot, and grasping 
mine, made a feeble effort to shake it. In response 
to my question, '' How are you, my dear fellow.^" he 
took a pencil, and in my memorandum book slowly 
scrawled two words, " Utter exhaustion." Soon 
thereafter he took my hand again, and held it until he 



21 



fell into a troubled sleep. The surgeon of his regi- 
ment did not think the case so hopeless as it seemed 
to me. He thought the Colonel would rally to mor- 
row, and even if he did not recover, thought it prob- 
able he would linger tor several days. " He was not 
in this condition yesterday," said the surgeon, "and I 
think it is only temporary." 

Just after supper that evening, Colonel Swayne 
came to my tent and said he had been sent for. 
Colonel Smith was worse. We sent immediately for 
Dr. Thrall to accompany us, and all rode over to- 
gether to see if, in any way, we could contribute to 
his comfort. We were too late. As we entered we 
noticed that the room had been freshly swept, and we 
saw a white sheet covering something on the cot, 
now moved back against the wall, which told us that 
he was gone. 



There is one other word to say, which I could wish 
were said by some one better fitted to say it. Colonel 
Smith was more than a soldier; he was a Christian. 
He never made a parade of his religious ideas. No 
man ever saw in him the least particle of cant. Yet 
in and through the soldier, there shone forth in the 
life of our Kirby Smith, the evidence of that life 
which is eternal. 



